The Teaching Methods Classroom Meets Virtual Reality: Insights for Pre-Service Teaching Methods Instructors

As education preparation programs align their instruction to the contemporary technologies used in schools, they may begin to design and deliver virtual reality instruction in the teaching methods classroom. In this study, we examined the experiences of 24 pre-service teachers as they used virtual reality for the first time through the lens of the Technology Acceptance Model, and we explored their perspectives on virtual reality in the elementary classroom. Qualitative data were obtained through two surveys. The findings indicated that pre-service teachers experienced discomfort with virtual reality and perceived a variety of barriers toward integrating it into their elementary classrooms. Based on the study’s findings, practical implications are shared for teaching methods instructors as they design and integrate virtual reality instruction into the teaching methods classroom.